Our Overlooked Catfish

White catfish, Ameiurus catus, are native to Atlantic slope streams from New York to Florida, and Gulf coast drainages in Alabama and Mississippi. They’re more tolerant of brackish water than other catfish species, and often are found right in the mouth of coastal rivers. White cats also have been stocked outside their native range, especially on the west coast.

Their ability to adapt and reproduce in a variety of water conditions appeals to fishery managers trying to stretch budgets. In many parts of the country, channel catfish numbers must be supplemented by frequent and expensive stocking programs. White cats, once established in a body of water, however, often maintain good population densities on their own.

Many anglers and more than a few biologists have mistaken white catfish for blue or channel cats, or even oddly colored bullheads. Picture a fish with the proportions of a brown bullhead, the bluish-silver coloration of a blue cat, and a tail not quite so deeply forked as a channel’s, and you have a white catfish. Confusion increases when these fish exceed 10 pounds and their mottled colors and slimmer proportions make them look more like channel catfish.

The surest way to identify a white cat, short of tissue analysis, is to count the number of fleshy spines or rays in the anal fin. Whites have between 19 and 23 rays, channels between 24 and 30, and blue cats between 30 and 36.

According to a study conducted by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, white and channel catfish grow at the same rate for their first four years. Beyond age four, the channel cat’s growth rate continues to escalate while white cats stagnate.

Large specimens rarely exceed 10 pounds and average two to four pounds in most parts of the country. In southern New England, this size potential has made them more popular than the native brown bullhead. In states like Alabama, with established white and channel catfish populations, however, most anglers prefer channel cats for their larger size and ease of harvest.

To put white cats in perspective, consider them intermediate between channel catfish and bullheads. Their preferred habitat often overlaps with both species, and an understanding of the basic nature and seasonal location of channel cats and bullheads will help you consistently locate white catfish in any body of water.

Like other catfish, whites are built for the rigors of river life. They tolerate faster water than bullheads, but avoid the swift currents favored by channel cats. During high water, they seek areas away from the main river current, like snag-infested backwaters and side channels. When water level and velocity stabilize in early summer, however, they gradually move to main channel features like holes and eddies—areas that provide better feeding opportunities, but still offer protection from current.

White catfish are resilient. After being stocked in Oregon’s Tualatin River in the early 1950s, white cats weren’t seen until 1989 when the state record 15-pounder was caught and a small reproducing population was rediscovered. But few states manage their harvest, and without size and creel limits, it’s up to catmen to discipline their catch.